The Best Investments of 2011

More From Slideshows

Best Investments of 2011

2011 was a volatile year for investors: Although the S&P 500 is on track to close the year relatively flat (up about 0.7 percent), the big money was made in nontraditional places.

The following slides show the best investments in each category, from stocks and commodities to currencies and companies with the best cash flows. If you made some of these investments, you were on the right track. If not, lessons learned in 2011 could prove profitable in the year ahead. All numbers are as of market close on Dec. 27. So, what were the best investments of the year? Click ahead to find out.